News Article

Raleigh Participates In UK E-Bike Study

OXFORD, United Kingdom – Raleigh UK participates in a pioneering cycle study called BOOM being led by Oxford Brookes University on the impact of e-bikes on older people’s mobility and wellbeing.

The cycle BOOM study will investigate the experiences of using E- bikes amongst the over 50s. – Photo Raleigh

With the electric bike market growing steadily in the UK, there is a growing awareness that assisted cycling can bring health and well-being benefits for thousands of inactive people. One of the issues that the industry faces is breaking down perception barriers and reaching out to people at suitable life stages.

Inform the industry

The cycle BOOM study will investigate the experiences of using E- bikes amongst the over 50s. The study aims to inform the industry on how E-bike technology could be improved. It also aims to inform policy makers on how the physical environment (i.e. towns, cities and countryside) could be developed to encourage more of the older population to take up cycling or to continue to cycle in older age.

Participants will be recruited in the Oxford and Reading area and will be loaned Raleigh’s e-bikes for an 8-12 week period. In return they will be asked to record their experience in a diary and to take part in tests to understand the effects of E-biking on their wellbeing. The study team are seeking a mix of people either new or returning to cycling as well as more experienced cycle users to enable them to develop a more rounded understanding of the experiences people have when using electric bikes.

Future e-bikes in the UK

Richard Dobney, Raleigh’s electric bike product manager said: “We’re very excited to be working with Oxford Brookes and its partners on the cycle BOOM project. We have a wealth of experience in designing and making electric bikes. Seeing how our technology can be progressed, implemented and tailored to the non-cyclist is absolutely key to the future of e-bikes in the UK.”

Tim Jones, Principal Investigator at Oxford Brookes University added: “It’s great to be working with an industry partner with such a proud heritage of British bicycle manufacture. With this study we hope to make a really important contribution in ensuring that future bicycle technology, as well as our towns and cities, are designed to support cycling in older age.”

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